A Letter to Harvey Milk
Closed 1h 35m
A Letter to Harvey Milk
79

A Letter to Harvey Milk NYC Reviews and Tickets

79%
(338 Ratings)
Positive
87%
Mixed
11%
Negative
2%
Members say
Great singing, Entertaining, Absorbing, Great acting, Thought-provoking

About the Show

Set in San Francisco in 1986, this musical deals with issues of friendship and loss, the grip of the past, and the hard-won acceptance set in motion by the most unexpected people. 

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Show-Score Member Reviews (338)

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52 Reviews | 22 Followers
95
Absorbing, Great acting, Much more than i thought it would be

See it if You enjoy musicals with twists and Unpredictable plot lines

Don't see it if You are not interested in introspective issues relating to homosexuality

205 Reviews | 108 Followers
95
Great acting, Great singing, Great staging, Great writing, Thought-provoking

See it if you are in the mood for a heartwarming story about the healing power of writing and reading + a lesson in seeking and keeping relationships.

Don't see it if you are not open to the inspiring stories of a gay politician, a searching lesbian teacher, and a widowed Jewish senior citizen, with humor.

64 Reviews | 5 Followers
95
Intelligent, Entertaining, Absorbing, Resonant, Thought-provoking

See it if you want to be blown away by an unexpected gem

Don't see it if you want only a fluff piece

175 Reviews | 22 Followers
94
Absorbing, Clever, Entertaining

See it if wanty to be entertained

Don't see it if your scared of lesbian issues

314 Reviews | 52 Followers
94
Riveting, Refreshing, Must see, Great acting, Great singing

See it if you like small musicals with a sensitive book.

Don't see it if you only like big musicals with huge dance numbers

147 Reviews | 13 Followers
94
Intelligent, Masterful, Delightful, Great singing, Funny

See it if You like a clever, amusing and yet moving,, small scale musical with great acting and singing performances and good music throughout.

Don't see it if You don't like musicals or don't want to be entertained.

350 Reviews | 163 Followers
93
Relevant, Must see, Poignant, Compelling, Moving

See it if you enjoy stories of people bridging their differences and finding their commonality. This was a beautiful story and told in a clever way.

Don't see it if you have no interest in LGBT or Jewish stories and don't believe (to quote Kinky Boots) you can change the world if you change your mind. Read more

80 Reviews | 51 Followers
93
Masterful, Human, Great singing, Great writing, Insightful

See it if You want a wonderful musical w/ a real human storyline. Jewish humor. Total entertainment.

Don't see it if Your not looking for a LGBT story. Don't like culture story's. Read more

Critic Reviews (21)

Front Mezz Junkies
March 7th, 2018

"A charming sweet musical that does manage to splice a lot of power and punch out of a sometimes silly setup and structure. The music is lovely, while the lyrics...sometimes border on the simplistic or stereotypical, the story in the end is emotionally worthy of its telling...The actors' voices feel like they belong attached to the songs...At times, the big conflict between Barbara and Harry feels dated, artificial, and overly dramatic...This is a letter worth reading and seeing."
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Theatre Reviews Limited
March 10th, 2018

"Has good intentions but becomes confusing as it address too many issues...The characters seem to be messengers delivering information without an emotional investment. What adds to the disconnect, is the overload of comic relief and lack of focus on any specific topic. The book manages to provide a catharsis for the characters but not for the audience. The cast is more than competent but cannot overcome the tedious and disjointed script."
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Theatre's Leiter Side
March 9th, 2018

"A pleasantly engaging but uneven new show…The vigor of the placid Harry's position, which sharply contradicts everything he appears to have represented until now, seems an artificial device to light a firecracker under a relatively stagnant plot…Even more difficult to accept is how it's connected to something Harry experienced years ago…jarringly altering the lightly sentimental tone to which we've grown accustomed…The leads are all excellently cast."
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Gotham Playgoer
March 15th, 2018

"Runs the gamut from Borscht Belt shtick to tenderness to tragedy...The lyrics by the late Ellen M. Schwartz supplemented by lyrics by Cheryl Stern are often clunky...Director Evan Pappas keeps the action flowing smoothly. If you are expecting a play about Harvey Milk, you will be disappointed. I couldn’t escape the feeling that the show was crafted to pander to an audience that is Jewish, LGBT, or preferably both. It has its moments, but the uneven tone undermines it."
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Theater In The Now
March 19th, 2018

"One of those musicals that just has a little too much happening at once...A haunting story that tries to achieve a bit too much...Quite possibly the biggest triumph of 'A Letter to Harvey Milk' is its representation of a queer woman in a musical...It's safe to say that perhaps the source material may be flawed for adapting it into a stage musical. 'A Letter to Harvey Milk' tells an important narrative. It's just the execution that is a little lacking...It's unfortunate how dated the show feels."
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Broadway & Me
March 10th, 2018

"An unapologetic sweetness...that won me over despite the many flaws...The book has the feel of something hammered out in a sitcom writers' room, complete with some wince-inducing one-liners...The score is pleasant but equally generic and unmemorable...Economically directed...Put together on a stingy budget...The performances are sincere and well sung...What most appeals to me is the fact that this show isn't trying to be anything but what it is."
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T
March 19th, 2018

"We engage in fairly familiar emotional territory with the main conceit centering on homosexuality and acceptance, with a large schmear of Jewish humor...A very strong book and the three lead characters are given a lot to say and think about. The story arc surprised me and was very effective in peeling back the layers within both Harry and Barbara, and the letter that was written. The music and lyrics range from garden variety to schtick...The ballads are very good and memorable."
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Diandra Reviews it All
March 6th, 2018

"Heller's Harry Weinberg and Knitel's Barbara Katsef are at the heart of the show...Heller gives Harry a connective personality...Knitel gives Barbara such a natural charm...This musical feels refreshingly simple and heartwarming...For 100 minutes you watch two people sing and accept that to have love in life, they must also have loss...'A Letter To Harvey Milk' is brisk in its impact. It seeds into your heart, and blossoms with love."
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